'tut' ^•T & ARCHAEOL VOLUME 29 SPRING 1979 I ,(; N m' The Archaeological Society of Ohio Officers—terms expire 1980 Robert Harter, 1961 Buttermilk Hill, Delaware, Ohio Jeff Carskadden, 2686 Carol Drive, Zanesville, Ohio President—Steve Fuller, Associate Editor, Martha P. Otto, 4767 Hudson Dr., Stow, Ohio Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, Ohio Vice President—Frank Otto, 1503 Hempwood Dr., Columbus, Ohio All articles, reviews and comments on the Ohio Archae­ Executive Secretary—Jan Sorgenfrei, ologist should be sent to the Editor Memberships, re­ Pandora, Ohio quests for back issues, changes of address, and other Treasurer—Mike Kish, matter should be sent to the business office. 39 Parkview Ave., Westerville, Ohio PLEASE NOTIFY BUSINESS OFFICE IMMEDIATELY Recording Secretary—Robert Sturm, 3256 E. Cleveland Ave., Grove City, Ohio OF ADDRESS CHANGES. BY POSTAL REGULATIONS Editor—Robert N. Converse, SOCIETY MAIL CANNOT BE FORWARDED. 199 Converse Dr., Plain City, Ohio Editorial Office Trustees 199 Converse Drive, Plain City, Ohio 43064 Term expires Ernest Good, 3402 Civic Place, Business Office Grove City, Ohio 1980 Summers Redick, 35 West River Glen Drive, William C. Haney, 96 Buckhorn St., Worthington, Ohio 43085 Ironton, Ohio 1980 Alva McGraw, Rt. #11, Membership and Dues Chillicothe, Ohio 1980 Annual dues to the Archaeological Society of Ohio are Charles H. Stout, 91 Redbank Dr., payable on the first of January as follows: Regular mem­ Fairborn, Ohio 1980 bership $8.50; Husband and wife (one copy of publication) Dana Baker, W. Taylor St., $9.50; Contributing $25.00. Funds are used for publish­ Mt. Victory, Ohio 1982 ing the Ohio Archaeologist. The Archaeological Society Steve Balazs, 401 Mulberry St., of Ohio is an incorporated non-profit organization and Mt. Vernon, Ohio 1982 has no paid officers or employees. Douglas Hooks, Rt. #5, The Ohio Archaeologist is published quarterly and Mansfield, Ohio 1982 subscription is included in the membership dues. Wayne Mortine, Scott Dr., Oxford Heights, Newcomerstown, Ohio 1982 Back Issues Regional Collaborators Publications and back issues of the Ohio Archaeologist: David W. Kuhn, 2642 Shawnee Rd., Portsmouth, Ohio Ohio Flint Types, by Robert N. Converse $4.00 Charles H. Stout, Sr., 91 Redbank Drive, Fairborn, Ohio Ohio Stone Tools, by Robert N. Converse .... 3.00 Claude Britt, Jr., Many Farms, Arizona Ohio Slate Types, by Robert N. Converse .... 7.00 Mark W. Long, Box 467, Wellston. Ohio Back issues—black and white—each 3.00 Steven Kelley, Seaman, Ohio Back issues—four full color plates—each 3.00 James Murphy, Dept. of Geology, Back issues of the Ohio Archaeologist printed prior Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, Ohio to 1964 are generally out of print but copies are available William Tiell, 13435 Lake Ave., Lakewood, Ohio from time to time. Write to business office for prices and Gordon Hart, 760 Fort Wayne Rd., Bluffton, Indiana availability. STANDING COMMITTEES SPECIAL COMMITTEES NOMINATING COMMITTEE PROGRAM COMMITTEE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Robert N. Converse, Chairman Jack Hooks, Chairman Dana Baker, Chairman Ensil Chadwick Martha Otto, Chairman Jan Sorgenfrei Wayne Mortine William Tiell Charles Stout, Sr. Don Bapst Charles Stour, Sr. Alva McGraw Jan Sorgenfrei Gordon Hart Bert Drennan David Brose John Winsch AUDITING COMMITTEE SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Robert Hill, Chairman COMMITTEE Marybeth Albin, Chairwoman Don Gehlbach Charles Stout, Jr. Robert Converse, Chairman Jack Hooks Owen Cowan Lar Hothem Ensil Chadwick Kendall Saunders Jeff Carskadden Tom Stropki Wayne Mortine Jack Lanam Martha Otto EXHIBITS COMMITTEE Steve Parker Gordon Hart Steve Balazs, Co-Chairman George Morelock RAFFLE COMMITTEE Don Gehlbach, Co-Chairman Ed Hughes William Haney, Chairman Billy Hillen Charles Voshall Graig Coila John Baldwin Jerry Hagerty Frank Otto Dorothy Good Earl Noble FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY COMMITTEE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE Jan Sorgenfrei, Chairman Mike Kish, Chairman Alva McGraw, Chairman Doug Hooks Lar Hothem Dwight Shipley Don Bapst Dorothy Good David Kuhn Max Shipley Marylyn Harness Gilbert Dilley Ernest Good Martha Otto Earl Townsend Jack Hooks Joy Jones EDITOR'S PAGE TABLE OF CONTENTS The front and back covers of the 1979 Two Incised Slate Pieces 4 Spring issue of the Ohio Archaeologist feature Regional Collaborator News: Serpent Mount in all its spring glory. Perhaps the most famous prehistoric effigy mound in An Unusual Blade 9 North America, it is located near Sinking Remarkable Find 9 Spring in northern Adams County, Ohio. Its 1400 feet convoluted body overlooks scenic The Gem Of Prehistoric Pipes 10 Brush Creek valley from an elevated Burial 16, Mixter Site, Erie County, Ohio .112 promontory. Surface Finds From Serpent Mound has been the subject of numerous newspaper articles, archaeological Western Pennsylvania 13 papers, and books, some of which are serious Cult Of The Dead Thirty Centuries Ago . .14 but most being fanciful. The full gamut of "Arrowhead," A Convenient Misnomer . .18 speculation may be found in writings about this unique earthwork —one writer even A Unique Bone Beamer proposed that Serpent Mound was the site of From Southeastern Ohio 19 the original Garden of Eden. Acceptance Of New Ideas However, some mystery still surrounds In Archaeology 20 Serpent Mound. The only scientific investiga­ tion of the works was done by F. W. Putnam for Artifacts In The Raines Collection 22 the Peabody Museum at Harvard in the latter A Basal Notched Type 23 part of the nineteenth century. Because the A Preliminary Report On contents of some of the burial mounds situated nearby appeared to be Adena, it was surmised The Lillback Site 24 that the Adena people constructed the effigy. Sandusky Site Whistles 27 If Serpent Mound is Adena in origin it repre­ sents a radical departure from the usual or A Serrated Bone Ornament normal Adena mound or earthwork design From Ross County Ohio 27 since nearly all Adena mounds in Ohio are A 1979 Surface Find 28 conical in shape with no accompanying walls Hafted Scrapers- or earthworks. On the other hand, Ohio Hope­ Recycled Spearpoints? 30 well mound builders were noted for their geometric earthworks and extensive earthen Postmolds On The Brokaw Site— walls and occasional effigies. Like Serpent An Interpretation 32 Mound, Hopewell walls and earthworks con­ tain no burials. A Masterpiece In Slate Pipe Technology. .37 Further information on this unusual effigy " It Isn't An Arrowhead!" 38 may be found in Ohio Historical Society pub­ Radiocarbon Information From lications, particularly one written by E. O. Randall at the turn of the century. Eastern Ohio 40 A Large Discoidal 42 Analysis Of Two Archaic Burials 43 The Hunt Site: Location And Artifacts . .47 Experience With The Phosphate Test To Locate Ancient Habitation Sites. .52 3 Two Incised Slate Pieces by Robert N. Converse Plain City, Ohio Few things left by the prehistoric Indian that either the design was incomplete or so are as fascinating and intriguing as engraved lightly incised as to be beyond solution. As a artifacts of slate. Nothing comes closer to last resort, I used a magnifying glass and allowing us an insight into the aboriginal mind copied the outline, line for line, on a piece of than these strange pieces. In most cases they paper, which also at first seemed fruitless. are mute and undecipherable evidences of However, after one last look at both the stone age mans thinking and perhaps first engraving and the copy, the picture of a bird steps toward a written language. At least they became clear (Fig. 4)—it being so obvious are abstractions of thoughts or ideas convey­ that it is curious that the many people who ing a meaning which is beyond our recognition had examined this piece did not recognize it. or solution. Very few of these engravings Mythological animals were a favorite subject portray identifiable elements, but even when of Southern Cult engravers and this animal they do they are still puzzling and enigmatic. may be classed as such. It does, however, Among the rarest of engravings on slate appear to resemble the parakeet, a bird are those depicting humans, and nearly as sculptured by Hopewell pipe craftsmen. rare are those showing animals. The subjects The second piece was found in Ross of this paper are two engraved artifacts both County by Clark Johnson of Bourneville, of which portray humans and animals. Both Ohio. It portrays in bold and deeply cut lines seem to be the ends of pendants or, more what appears to be a stylized wolf (Fig. 5). likely, gorgets, each apparently engraved after This carving is skillfully done with curved lines being damaged. Both are engraved on two and design elements reminiscent of many sides and each depicts a similar figure. One is Hopewell engravings. It is quite similar to the from Ross County and the other from Scioto engraving of an oscelot on human bone from County—areas separated only by Pike County. the original Hopewell site (Moorehead 1922: Even more curious is the fact that each was Fig. 64)(Fig. 6). What is even more fascinating found by a long-time collector. is a lightly cut engraving of a Southern Cult The first piece (Fig. 1) is from the Schisler head (Fig. 7-8) in the corner of the piece. It is site, a Fort Ancient location north of Ports­ possible that this engraving was once larger mouth in Scioto County. It was found by the since it seems the design is somewhat ob­ late Walter Diamond, a resident of Lucasville, literated or worn. It is impossible to tell which who had an extensive collection from the site, engraving was made first—a fact which could which was later sold to Dr. Stanley Copeland have important bearing on its origin. The of Worthington. On one face is the engraving reverse is also engraved but with an unrecog­ of a male figure which is almost identical to nizable motif of diagonal and criss-cross lines engravings of similar figures on shell and (Fig.